Daily Evacuation Brief | July 24, 2022
Discover more from The Afghan Digest
LAST 24 HOURS
Fears of a large cholera outbreak have prompted several NGO-led mobile health teams to establish treatment centers, in part in an effort to provide purified water. However, rural communities have found themselves cut off from treatment and healthcare teams are having a difficult time reaching them. A request for air support went unheeded by the Ministry of Defense. Worsening the humanitarian situation, flooding in Maidan Wardak has destroyed nearly 10% of this year’s crops.
According to several reports, Hazara rebel Taliban Commander Mehdi Mujahid has reconsolidated nearly half of his forces around Balkhab. Fighters have been returning to the area via mountain paths. It is not clear what his intentions are at this point, but most analysts believe that another campaign will begin soon against the Taliban forces who have been garrisoned in Balkhab. One source indicated that the National Resistance Front’s offers of support and cooperation have been politely declined.
The NRF released a response to UNAMA’s recent Human Rights report, criticizing it for undercounting non-combatant’s deaths and abuse and putting too much blame on ISIS-K and other terrorist organizations instead of the Taliban. They accused the UN of not publishing an original, more critical version of the report in order to “conceal the truth” and “acquit terrorists”. Read the statement HERE.
The Taliban have targeted a suspected ISIS-K safe house in Baghlan and conducted a raid to try and capture the militants. The fighting is possibly located in the provincial capital, but we have yet to receive confirmation. Likewise, casualties have been reported, but no definitive count has been provided.
A child was killed and three others were injured in a blast near the capital of Helmand province. The children were loading scrap metal on a truck when the blast occurred, and it is believed to have been an accidental detonation of unexploded ordnance rather than an attack of any sort.
NEXT 24 HOURS
The new joint Taliban–Pakistan visa commission is expected to make announcements about the scope of their plans, which will affect the visa process going forward. Rumors have been circulating that the process will be unduly influenced by the Taliban Ministry of the Interior and the Pakistan intelligence services in order to trap some of the Taliban’s unsuspecting high-profile targets. However, all official channel sources have flatly stated the commission is focused on halting the rampant black market scams that have sprung up since the Taliban takeover. Several governments have complained directly to the government of Pakistan through diplomatic channels about perceived corruption in the visa process.
SPOTLIGHT ANALYSIS
Changing Political And Economic Dynamics In Taliban-Ruled Afghanistan – OpEd
By Doreen Chowdhury – Geopolitical Monitor – EurAsia Review
The Taliban’s return to power has fundamentally changed the actors, interests, and strategies in the domestic arena. They have pledged to take tangible action to fight corruption, strengthen governance, and maintain and build upon the gains over the past 20 years. But this takeover has worsened the already topsy-turvy circumstances in the country. At the same time, it has caused the same shifts in the regional security environment in terms of the emergence of new actors with their own national interests and strategies.
AFGHAN NEWS
Taliban Shoot Dead Young Man, Display His Body to the Public in Afghanistan’s Andarab
By News 18
The Taliban on Thursday shot dead a young man in Afghanistan’s Baghlan and publicly displayed his body at Andarab district…
IEA official says there is no alternative to current government
By Ariana News
It is not in the interest of anyone to have a failed Afghan state, Abdul Qahar Balkhi, a spokesman for Afghanistan’s foreign ministry said in…
By Melvin Samuel – Eastern Eye
A video has gone viral on social media, which shows the Taliban torturing Youtubers Ajmal Haqiqi and his team, according to…
REGIONAL NEWS
Afghanistan does not buy into Helmand water right, DOE chief
By Tehran Times
The Ministry of Energy has held meetings with Afghan officials, but has gained no positive results, ISNA quoted Salagheqeh as saying on…
Taliban-Led Afghanistan to Setup Visa-Facilitating Commission with Pakistan
By News 18
“They will be holding meetings and discussions for an easy and better mechanism to issue visas to the people of Afghanistan," he…
Taliban to Buy Oil From Iran as Fuel Prices Spike in Afghanistan
By Ayaz Gul – VOA
Afghanistan’s Taliban government announced Saturday it had signed an agreement with Iran to purchase 350,000 tons of oil from the neighboring country.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS RELATING TO AFGHANISTAN
Islamic Emirate Has Implemented Doha Agreement: Dep. Spokesman
By TOLO News
In response to remarks of US Department spokesperson Ned Price, Islamic Emirate said it has implemented all commitments based on the…
THE DAILY WTF
Balkhi: Suspension of Schools is 'Temporary'
By Toba Walizada – TOLO News
“…There is a large percentage of society that has very strict ideas of what women can do and what they cannot do, and for that reason, the government is trying to…”
Afghani to the Dollar: $1 – 89.85 AFN (as of 24 JUL 2022)